During the 2012 NAFSA Conference and Expo, the GoAbroad Team was pleased to announce the winners of the 2012 Innovation Awards. As part of a continued effort to recognize the hard work and dedication this year’s nominees, GoAbroad will be sharing individual features of the 2012 GoAbroad Innovation Awards finalists over the coming weeks. This week, we are thrilled to bring you the Innovative New Program, Study Abroad Award finalists!

Please join us in congratulating the following Finalist of the Innovative New Program, Study Abroad Award:

Arcadia University

“Renewable Energy: Policy and Development”

The full potential of all available renewable energy sources must be tapped if we are to resolve some of the most pressing global issues of our times. Based on this core premise and a shared vision of providing intellectually stimulating and engaged international education, Arcadia University, The College of Global Studies collaborated with the University of Bonn in Germany, and Northwestern University to establish a unique interdisciplinary program: Renewable Energy: Policy and Development.

Germany is a leader in renewable energy systems and it is innovating rapidly in the areas of climate change and geopolitics. This intensive program offers a thorough examination of wind, solar, geothermal and biomass processes as the German people adapt to rapid climatic changes. It also provides a historical and socio-cultural framework for understanding these processes. After intensive planning and coordination, the program ran in 2010 with 15 and 2011 with 19 motivated, intellectually curious, and socially engaged undergraduate students from very different universities. Currently 19 students are enrolled for the third program in summer 2012.

Congratulations to Arcadia University for being selected as a 2012 Finalist of the Innovative New Program, Study Abroad Award!